


Oscars recovery

by Miaicefyre



Category: RWBY
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-12 10:40:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29009178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miaicefyre/pseuds/Miaicefyre
Summary: The team go to recover there captured team mate before the place blows up but even if they find him, will they be able to get him out in time? Will he still be alright, or too hurt to ever fully recover?
Relationships: Ace opes, Ace ops - Relationship, Oscar Pine & Winter Schnee, Team JORY
Comments: 5
Kudos: 17





	1. Rescue

**Author's Note:**

> You can see this as either a prediction or a fanfic, but it’s what I WANT to see happen

Every corridor looked the same inside the beast, all of it a mix of dark reds and blacks. Jaune had said they should split up in order to search quicker. “If anyone of us finds him” he’d said, giving each of them an ear piece “let the rest of us know then get him the hell out of here.” _Don’t wait for us_ he was really saying. Finding Oscar was there priority but once he was found and safe they also had another job to do, because they’d told Winter they would. He knew the ace ops still had surveillance on them, making sure they did what they said they would and didn’t try to run. They were still technically fugitives. 

so far, Ren hadn’t heard anything from the others, which could only mean neither of them had found him yet. He looked franticly around from one corridor to another, for a moment almost forgetting which one he’d come down.

”Oscar!” He called, picking a corridor at random and starting down it, hoping against hope he would here the faint voice of a boy calling back. Nothing.

 _“Oscar!”_ He called again, turning back to try another corridor...and ending up face to face with Emerald. Though she had a different outfit he definitely still recognised her. Aside from her weapons, there was something extra attached to her belt.

instinctively, he drew he’s weapons. She jumped slightly when he saw her but it didn’t look like she was here to fight. Her hands were slightly raised and there was a sad look in her eyes.

”I know where he is.” Was all she said.

she must’ve heard him calling. Ren was suspicious for a moment but then after a proper look at her he saw the colour of her petals and knew she was being sincere.

he put away storm flower. “Show me.”

and so she did, heading down the opposite corridor. Even stopping to check that he was following. Ren stayed behind her, more to keep an eye on her than anything, just to be sure. Once when they came to a corner she held out an arm to stop him from going further and flatbed him against the wall. A few seconds later, he heard the big heavy footsteps and saw Hazel coming down the next corridor. He stopped right by the corner they were hidden and for a moment seemed to look there way. For a brief moment, he seemed to make eye contact with Emerald but perhaps he hadn’t seen Ren hidden behind her in the shadows for then he just turned away and carried on walking.  
“It’s not much further now.” She’d told him, coming out of there hiding place and heading down the corridor Hazel had just come from. “Just up here.” The corridor began to curve and after about a dozen quick paces she came to a stop where there was a red smeared mark on the wall. Emerald placed her hand on the mark and the wall opened like a mouth. The room almost looked like the inside of a mouth as well, with large pointed teeth sticking up around the edges. For a second Ren thought the cell was empty. That Emerald had led here into a trap. But then he saw, lying on the floor with his back to them, half hidden in the shadows at the far end, the small form of Oscar Pine.

Ren rushed towards him, kneeling just behind him. He appeared to be unconscious. His hands tied, his coat a torn and dusty wreck with black marks here and there that in the dim light looked horrifically like blood. _Please let him still be alive._ As gently as he could, he put a hand on the boy’s shoulder and turned his body to face upwards. There were bruises on his face. And blood. _They tortured him with no aura_ Ren thought in disgust _. Cowards!_

franticly, he started fumbling at the ropes that blind his wrists, desperate to free them, but they were so tight and his fingers were shaking so that he couldn’t find a grip. “ _Danm it!”_ in the end he had to give up and take out his fathers blade, cutting through the bonds only hoping he didn’t catch some of the boys skin in the process. underneath, bits of his gloves had torn away where they’d dug in. When that was done, he held the boy closer with one arm, cradling him like a babe, looking at his tattered face; his closed eyes and slightly open mouth, lips dry and cracked.

”Oscar.” He whispered “What did they do to you?”

someone was calling his name, or was that just in his head. Had Oz recovered already? Salam’s latest torment had left them both so weak he had to be dragged back to cell barely conscious. _At least I can lie down now_ he thought after being tossed inside. After that, it hadn’t taken long for darkness to take him. _I thought I was dying._ Death might’ve been welcome after all that. _‘Don’t ever think that’_ he remembered Oz saying again.   
The calls were getting louder but that didn’t sound like Oz. Next thing he knew, he felt water being poured into his mouth. He almost coughed it back up again but he did manage to swallow with some difficulty. _My hands...they’re free._ Slowly, Oscar opened his eyes.

_“Ren?” Is this a dream?_

those pink eyes looked at him with sadness in them but his smile was one of relief.

”Oscar. Thank god.”

He started to raise a hand, hardly noticing it shaking. “Yu...” he touched the side of Ren check and felt his finger tremble against it. “Your here...” for the first time in what felt like days, Oscar actually smiled. “Your real.” A tear fell from the corner of his eye and down his check.

Ren almost laughed but it sounded like he too was close to tears. “Off course I’m real.” He took the boy in his arms and they held each other close. “I’m here.”

it was all Oscar could do not to burst into tears, sobbing with joy onto Rens back.


	2. Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Half there job is done but the other half might be harder than they think. Even if they manage to get it done in time, it still might not be the end of there worries

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can see this as either a prediction or a fanfic but it’s what I WANT to see happen

“We’re good, guys. I got him.” He heard a sigh of relief from the other end the ear piece. “Great, cause we’re almost done here. We don’t have much time.” ”Was that Jaune?” The boys voice was strained and think with pain. He looked incredibly frail. Ren tried to smile reassuringly, putting a hand on his shoulder. We’re gonna get you out of here, but we need to move fast.” Not taking any chances weather or not the boy could still walk, keeping the one hand on around shoulder he placed the other under his knees and lifted. Oscar flinched in pain but didn’t complain. He even helped a little by placing both his arms around Rens neck. when he turned to leave he saw Emerald again, standing a little awkwardly in a corner. For a brief moment, Ren considered just leaving her here but this had mostly been thanks to her. She’d been the one to show him to the boy and it had been her water that had saved him. That had been what was in the extra thing clipped her her hip. _Had she been meaning to bring him the water when she heard me calling?_ ”You should come with us.” She shook her head “I can’t. Not yet.” ”There’s a bomb. This place is about to blow.” That even seemed to surprise Oscar. He looked up at him, his eyes a little wider. ”I...” Emerald hesitated. “I’ll find my own way.” He knew there was no point pressing the matter, and he didn’t want to waste any more time. ”Good luck.” Was all he said. She nodded. “You too.”

_20 minutes earlier_

It was a monstrous big thing, almost filling the airship with her and the ace ops backed to the sides. It was long after they revived the bomb that she got the call. ”You let them go.” Winter had been expecting this conversation and had her answer ready. “They offered to help. We placed cameras on each of them, they’ll be under surveillance the whole time in case they try to run.” ”Why?” ”because Salam has Oscar.” Silence. It went on for a good few seconds and she knew that had got the generals attention. ”That’s impossible.” And he probably believed it too. Ironwood had told them the boy was dead. He wouldn’t have said that unless he believed it was true. ”It’s what they kept saying. Apparently he was taken by some unknown Grimm, not long after being retrieved from the slums.” ”You don’t actually believe there story, do you?” Hare cut in. “Why would they lie about something like that?” ”They lied to us before.” ”Not these three.” _Your still mad at them for_ that.

”if they had lied, why were they so adamant about going inside that thing?” Marrow pointed out. ”Well for all we know, they’re just using it as a means of getting away. They’re probably on the run for it right now. ”They’re not. The cameras prove that. They really are inside the monster and they really are searching for him.” Satisfied that she’d made her point, Winter turned her attention away from her colleagues and back to the General. “Should we deliver the bomb or give them more of a chance?” She waited for his answer, giving him time to think about. “Bring the bomb in now but give them a chance after it’s in place. See how far they get. If they are able to find him and get him out alive, that would be best. If not, detonation it.” she froze, letting the command sink in. “But they boy..?” ”He’s better off dead than captive. With all the things she might do to him, it’ll probably be a favour.” She searched around for things to say but couldn’t seem to find any. Her silence didn’t go unnoticed either for the General then added “is that understood?” ”He’s barely older than Whitley.” Was all she managed, trying hard to keep her voice steady. It had been a long time since she’d thought of her little brother. Perhaps her brief visit back to her old home of the Shnee manner has brought back more memories than she thought. “And I would prefer it if he was rescued alive” Ironwood seemed to be trying to assure her “but if it turns out that won’t be possible...we can’t Salam finding out the things he knows.” Winter sighed. He was right off course.

This place was a maze! Finding his way there had been hard enough. Finding a way out seemed even harder. _The least Emerald could’ve done was show us a way out._ What was worse, now that he had Oscar he had to move a little slower for fear of hurting the boy further.   
there was a wide open space up ahead. His instinct told him not to but his desperation lead him to believe it was a way out.

He froze.

Right there in front of him, with her back to him, was Salam. He stared in amazement. Spread out in front of them, as if through some giant window was the whole of the Atlisian army and the Grimm that were attacking it.   
_this can’t be right_ he thought, looking at her closely. She had no petals.

” _Ren_.” The boys grim tightened urgently on his shoulder.   
He shook his head back to the job at hand. If this was the eye of the beast then he had to find a way down to get the mouth. A downward slope, stairs, _something_. Closing his eyes he tried to remember they way he’d come. He’d taken so many twists and turns it was hard to keep track—from the spot they’d split up.

He opened his eyes in realisation and headed confidently down the corridor. Going as fast as he dared knowing the bomb could go off at any minute and Oscar was growing weaker with every step. He felt the boys grip slowly slip from his shoulder.

”Just hang in there.” He told him. “We gotta be close.” He said, hoping he was right.

heading round a corner he saw to his delight the testy of the beast where they’d first come in. He sighed with relief. Something exploded behind them. He turned just in time to see the flames come towards him. It was all he could do to hold Oscar close, shielding him from the blast.

Though they were a fair distance away when the bomb went off, they could still feel it. They all had to look away and shield there eyes from the heat and light. When they looked back, all they could see was flames. Ren was still in there...with Oscar.

”No.” Jaune whispered.

the last he’d heard from Ren, he had found the boy but that was all he had said. What had taken them so long? He’d told them not to wait. Suddenly, now free from thinking of the job, he found himself wandering if Oscar had really been ok. Was he hurt? Too hurt to move very fast.

” _Nooo_!” He screamed, all these thoughts buzzing round his head, staring at the flames, willing and praying.

Every so faintly, getting slowly clearer, a tall figure with long hair and a boy in his arms came towards them, moving ever so slowly closer.

his prayers had been answered 

“ _Ren_!”

when the two were far enough away from the flames, the others ran towards them. Even Winter followed them.

”Bring him in.” She said, indicating the airship “Quickly.”

Ren kept hold of the boy until laying him down on the seats of the airship.

”Oh god.” Jaune breathed, seeing his face for the first time.   
when winter came closes, Ren turned sharply with a look of desperate anger.

” _Don’t touch him_.”

Winter slightly raised her hands. “I just wanna say how he is.”

slowly Rens anger faded, the same way it had before, when talking to Hare on the airship. He stood and moved aside for Winter to take a closer look.   
she checked his pulse, then gently brushed the bruises on his face with her fingers before moving them down to his chest. Slowly and very carefully, she pulled aside his ruined coat and the torn shirt underneath.   
it seemed like everyone in the airship gasped at once. Right on his chest, almost covering it completely, there was a giant red burn. Even Lower down, over his ribs, they saw the bruises and dents that indicted a broken and shattered rib cage.

”He’ll, be alright...won’t he?”

Jaune didn’t think he’d ever heard yang sound so concerned.

Winter sighed. “He’ll live, but he needs medical attention. And fast.”

Jaune made to go to him but Elm moved to stand in his way, blocking him. “I can help!” He protested. “I can get his aura back up...”

” _Jaune_.”

the voice was so weak and faint it was almost inaudible. They all looked around to find the source, only to discover it had come from they boy himself.

Pure instinct taking over, he pushed passed Elm with a strength he didn’t know he had, knelt beside the and took his slightly quivering hand in both of his, instantly activating his aura amp.   
“I’m here, bud. I got you.”  
Oscar sighed in relief, though weather it was just from having him near or from the feel of his aura boosting, Jaune wasn’t too sure.

”The others alright?” He asked, weakly, still not opening his eyes.

Jaune smiled. “Yeah. We’re all good.”

he almost seemed to smile. “Did we win?”

Jaune didn’t want to answer that. Not yet. not with him in this state. Thankfully, he was spared having too.

”I’m so cold.”

”sshhh.” Still keeping Oscar hand in one of his, he used the other to stroke his forehead. “Your gonna be ok.”

He heard a shuffling behind him.

”What the hell are you doing?” That sounded like Hare.

he turned and was surprised to see Marrow taking off his coat. “Making sure he doesn’t freeze to death on the way up to atlas.”

Jaune looked back at the boy and smiled. “We’re going to look after you.”

”Who said we were taking him to Atlas?”

Ignoring her, Marrow gently placed his coat over Oscar small body, leaving only the hand Jaune was holding uncovered.

”We’re going to have to, to get those wounds looked at.” Winter pointed out, but it was Oscar who protested.

”N-n-n-no-no...No military...”

They all looked at him, then at each other.   
“Theres a hospital we can take him to. Put him in a high security ward. He’ll be safe there.”  
She was telling it more to Oscar than to them. He nodded slightly, then Winter turned her attention to Jaune. “You can do your thing while on they way but once we’re there, you have to let us take him from there.”

”Fine.” Jaune excepted. “As long as he gets the help he needs.”


	3. Treatment and care

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that the boy is in there care, all they needs to do now is keep him alive and out of enemy hands

The tree of them stayed close by the boy for the whole journey: Jaune kneeling by his side, never once letting go of his hand; Ren crouched down just beside him; Yang sat by his head, running her fingers through his hair, getting out all the knots and tangles until it was just as smooth and soft as she remembered.

”You really care about him, don’t you” Vine said suddenly, eating them together.

”He’s one of us.” Jaune explained. “We’re not just a team, we’re a family.”

Hare made a noise.

”Scoff all you want,” Yang shot at her. “But we actually care for each other. More than just having each other’s backs, we give each other hope.” She looked around at them. “What do you guys give each other?”

When it came time for them to part, it was Yang that protested the most.

”No, wait. I-it’s not done!” She said, referring to the aura amp.

It wasn’t even close. The most it had done was fade the bruises and maybe made the burn shrink a little.

”Please, he needs us.”

”What he needs is a hospital” Hare had told them “and what you need is a holding cell.” 

Jaune hadn’t put up much of a fight. True to his word, he let him go when he knew he was getting help. Just before parting he bent down, placed a hand on the boys head and kissed him lightly on the forehead.

”Look after him.” He told them.

”We’ll give him the best care possible.” Winter assured him.

They didn’t have a stretcher available, so they had to carry into the hospital. Elm being the biggest and strongest of them, she took him in her arms. A few people saw them go by, looking at them as they went. It’s must’ve been strange to see a boy in a woman’s arms. Winter just hoped they wouldn’t ask to many questions.

He still had Marrows coat over him but once safely in the ward, the first thing they did was strip off his clothes, some of them tearing as they did so even though they tried to do it gently. _They were ruined anyway_ Winter realised.

only then did they see the full extent of his injuries. There were black bruises—sometimes with cuts—going in lines all down him back and arms that could only have been from bonds that had been far too tight. They were particularly bad on the arms and shoulders. In places they were accompanied by Grimm residue where it had seeped through the tares in the coat. On his back, the looked to have so tight, pressed so hard against his spine, they looked to have cracked the bone. He’s wrists did seem so bad but they were a little chafed in the place where the gloves had torn away. _Lucky he was wearing those really_. But there was more than that too, Winter realised, looking closer at the wrists. There were scars there. Old scars, gotten from some time in childhood. Looking at him again closer she saw there was a similar scar on his neck just under his chin. _Is that why he always covered them? Always wore those gloves and bandages?_  
Once down to his skin they set the water running in the tub, placing the boy gently into it. It was a small tub so his legs had to be crossed to fit him in, his knees against the sides. _It was meant for a child Winter realised._ She and Elm had been told to stay there and wait while the rest of the ace ops kept an eye on his team. So stay she did, watching the doctors do there work.

The boy never stirred, even when the water came almost up to his face and the doctors started gently rubbing the wounds with a soft sponge. He looked even smaller and skinnier without his coat. The water soon became so dirtied with blood and grim residue that they had to leave the plug out and the tap running to try and keep it clean. For some reason Winter didn’t question, they decided not to touch the burn on his chest directly but to just let it soak and scrub the edges around it. It actually turned out not to be as big as Winter had first thought.

Satisfied that the wounds were sufficiently washed, the doctors decided to get him on the bed so Elm stepped forward to help him out the tub. Wearing nothing but a towel, so small and frail in comparison to her, he truly looked like a babe in arms. Laying on the bed, so still, almost not even seeming to breath.

It wasn’t long after that that the General arrived. Walking in, he looked at the boy with a mixture of pity and relief. Not taking his eyes of him, he started moving round his bed. “How much did she get out of you?” He wandered out loud. “What did you tell her?”

”From the looks of things” Winter offered “not a lot.”

_Why would the torture have been thus bad if he had told what she wanted?_

or perhaps she was wrong. perhaps the result of the torture being this bad was that he had given her what she wanted. She hopped they would find out soon enough.

Ironwood still didn’t look away from the boy. “He’ll be in your care.” He told Winter. “Try to keep him alive.”

 _My care?_ Winter was no medical doctor. But she said nothing. Only then did the General turn to look at her. “Do not leave him alone. Even for a second. Someone should be here when he wakes up.”

 _If he wakes up._ She looked at the boys body, frail and motionless. He looked almost at peace.   
Once he and Elm were gone, it was just her, the boy and the doctors. At least she didn’t have to do this completely alone. The boy had them to treat his wounds. They left the covet off while they bandaged his ribs then at last they started looking over the burn on his chest. one of them turned to her. “You might have to hold him down, I’m afraid, this is going to hurt.” So stepping closer to the bed, she lightly held his shoulders and prepared.

The effect was instant. The moment they touched the burn, his entire body tensed up, a spasm rushing all the way through it. He started to twitch. Not looking at what the doctors were doing and With a sudden feeling of self-hatred, she pressed down on his shoulders, feeling him start to fight them thigh there wasn’t much strength left to do so. Even after closing her eyes she could still hear his moans of pain. A crazy thought accrued to her and with instinct taking over, she started to sing.

Winter had never been as good a singer as her sister but there had been times when she also had done a few performances. It hadn’t been for a very long time though.  
when she opened her eyes, she saw that his were open too. He was staring up at her. Did he think she was Weiss? Though he still flinched in pain he seemed to be calming down. And even after it was done, she kept on singing until his eyes slowly started to close and he fell back to sleep again.

It wasn’t so bad here. It was actually a pretty decent room. The bed was right by the window. There was a fire place at the foot of the bed and a radiator right next to it which at the time we’re both on full. What ever it takes to keep him warm. Seeing the boy more clearly now, Winter saw that he was actually the polar opposite of her brother. Of all of them really, with his dark hair and tanned skin. One realising that, she found herself wandering what Whitley was like now. She had always just thought of him as a smaller version of her father but from what Weiss had told her might not be as bad as they thought. _Had Oscar helped with that?_ She had heard the two had been seen talking together at the Shnee dinner party. Perhaps he’d just been under the wrong influence his whole life and it just took a bit of influence from the right kind of person to change him.

Her wanderings were distracted by the door opening and someone coming in. Looking up, she saw the last person she expected to see.

Qrow.

“They let you go?” She asked.

”They offered me a deal.” He shrugged. “I could be a free man again if, I go hunt down Tirion...and bring back his head.”

Her lip curled slightly. _Off course, that would be exactly what you want right now._ “So You why are you _here_?”

”because I heard...” he looked at the boy. “I wanted to see him. To say goodbye.”

Winter didn’t object. She sat by as he came and knelt beside the bed.   
“If your in there, Oz” he said to the sleeping boy “if you can still here me...I’m sorry. For what we did to you.” He reached inside a pocket and drew out the old necklace he always used to ware. The crooked silver cross on a black thread. _Had he kept that there this whole time?_ “You were right to keep things hidden. You knew how we’d react react...especially me.” Gently, he placed the cross in the boys palm and closed his fingers around it. “You were just tryn’a make sure we didn’t lose hope. I see that now. Thats all you ever tried to do...give us hope.” Sighing he stood back up. With the boy still sound asleep, Qrow placed a hand on his forehead like he was giving him a blessing. “Stay strong, kid. I know you can make it through this.” And then he left.

Winter stared after him, a feeling of sadness in her heart. She was thinking about Ozpin. They said he’d been gone for months. Was he really still there at all? Could he really still hear them? From the looked of the tear now falling from the corner of the boys eye, perhaps he had.


	4. Story time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some things don’t go unnoticed and people ask questions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is NOT set in volume 8, since it’s now gone over the 2-3 day count

_“Where is he?!”_

The voice was high and shrill. Her voice had always seemed somewhat high but this time it was heightened with concern and panic. As she shoved her way into the ward, Winter stood to try and stand in her way. “I wouldn’t try to wake him if I were you.”

She barely even looked at her. Her eyes fixed on the boy in the bed, she pushed passed, fell to her knees beside it and sobbed. “I should’ve gone with you and Ren...I should’ve protected you.” She let out a dry laugh. “And now look at us both.”

Nora had certainly gained a few scars of her own. It didn’t surprise Winter that she’d found out so quickly. All the news feed had said was that 15-year-old Oscar Pine was found in the remains of the giant Grimm, servilely wounded but alive, and was quickly rushed to hospital. She reached out for the burn on his chest.

“ _Don’t_ ” winter warned “touch that.”   
Only then did Nora turn to look at her. “Why isn’t it bandaged?”

Winter sighed. “It must be from some sort of magic. Every time we touch it...getting it cleaned was hard enough. I’m afraid bandaging would, just cause to much pain.   
Noras hand was still in the air but instead of he chest, she stroked the side of his cheek. “We’d only just got him back.” She sounded as though she was holding back tears.

“He’s going to make it.” Winter tried to sound reassuring.

Nora shook her head. “It’s not just that. This keeps happening. He disappears for a while and we worry and we search then when we actually get him back...it’s for even less time the he was gone...before he disappears again.” She laughed again. “You might think by now we’d be used to it. That we’d realise that, eventually...he’ll always make it back to us safe.” She brushed a few locks of hair out of his face.

Winter stayed quite while letting her talk. “Maybe he will.” She said, when she realised Nora was done.

She sighed. “I just can’t shake the feeling, that the longer he’s gone, the less time will have with him.”

” _Hay_!” Just then, Hare stormed through the door looking absolutely fuming. “You shouldn’t be here!” She yelled, pointing at Nora, just as the rest of the ace ops came in, accompanied by a few solders. “Right now, you should be taking a one way ticket to the jail cells right along side the rest of your team.”

But Nora didn’t protest. “It’s alright. I just wanted to see him.” She went with the soldiers without a fight. The ace ops stayed.

”I just don’t see what all the fuss is about.” Hare said, as Winter walked over to the bed and gently pulled the dovet to cover the boys chest, carefully, hoping he wouldn’t feel it so much. “He’s as good as dead. _Get over it._ ”   
“He’s _not_ dead.” He only flinched a little. “And he’s _not_ going to die.” Winter turned to face them. “You know who he is, don’t you?”

”Yeah.” Hare still sounded a little annoyed and unimpressed. “He’s the new vassal for the wizard. And if he dies it’ll just, move on to the next.”

Winter had to laugh. “It’s no where near as simple as that. You see that mark?” She pointed to a tatto-looking-scar on the boys shoulder. It was in the shape of four spirals, coiling around each other. “That’s the mark of the wizard. Only those who are chosen with this mark can be a vassal...and only one child ever _generation_ is born to become the wizard.” Winter had heard this story a dozen times from the Gendry. Ironwood had been so pleased and keen when he learned of the boys existence. No one had expected to find the next wizard so soon. “What makes this one different” winter continued “is that the last host was killed _before_ he was ready. He’s been marked from a very young age.” She rounded on Hare. She’d been waiting for a chance to put her in her place for a very long time “If he dies before the merge is complete, I’m not sure even Oz knows what happens to the souls then: At best, we might be within the wizard for perhaps the next 50 year; at worst, there might never be another wizard ever again. And without the wizard, we have no hope of winning this war.”   
She at least then had the decency to look a little concerned.

”If he is so special,” said a voice behind her. It turned out to be Elms “how did he wined up getting taken in the first place? How could he have ended up getting hurt this bad?” He indicating the boy in the bed with an exasperated wave of the hand.

”I believe I just explained that.” Winter shook her head “He wasn’t ready. And besides, if you think about it.” She walked over to the bed once more. “The fact that he survived being taken...that he’s strong enough to live through all that...kinda tells you something about him.”

They all looked at the small figure in the bed for moment, watching the slight rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. The only sound was the beeping of the heart monitor—His heart rate was incredibly slow, only two beats ever time the line crossed the screen—until they heard a disturbance outside the hospital...

They all rushed to the window. There was only enough room for one person to look straight out at the head of the bed so that was where Winter stood, holding back the curtain. The others had to strain there eyes, leaning toward over the bed, trying not to disturb the boy. They all stared, mesmerised, with a mixture of horror and amazement. Up in the sky, glowing golden coils were coming together, joining themselves, slowly mixing around and around, combining to make a shape...and that shape was Salam. But that wasn’t the only thing that caught there attention. _We thought killing the beast would stop the Grimm horde_ she thought, shaking her head and sighing. _How could we have been so naive?_ Here and there, small numbers of Grimm were making there way to the hospital. Before long, they would come together to form a hoard. _They’re coming for the boy_ Winter realised.

She turned to the ace ops. “Go!”

They went, but Marrow hung back. “Your not coming too?”

She nodded towards the boy. “Someone has to stay with him.” That was what Ironwood had told her to do, _‘do not leave his side, even for a second’._ So she wouldn’t, but here all she could do was watch out the window.   
  
  
At least now she understood more of why protecting this boy was so important. Perhaps his team had known that too. Perhaps it was just part of the job. Maybe Elm had been wrong. Trading three lives for one wasn’t stupid if you know that one would save everyone else. Still, the care they showed for him had gone beyond just knowing he would one day be the one to save them all. While Winter had stayed to make sure he stayed alive, Elm had been sent to join the others in keeping an eye on his team. As soon as she’d entered, they’d asked the question. “How is he?”

”Stable.” She’s said. “The doctors say the worst is over but, who knows when he might wake.” That had seemed to satisfy them. They didn’t seem to mind being in a jail cell at all, as long as they knew there boy was ok.

 _Bet they probably wish they were here now_ Elm thought, racing out the hospital entrance with the others. Nora and Ironwood were stood outside, both staring at the gathering packs of Grimm. Nora having not quite made it to the transport and Elm did try to guess why the General was here.

”They’ve come for Oscar.” He voiced.

Nora took out her hammer. “There not gonna touch him...not again.”

Elm scowled. _We should’ve taken that thing from her_ but then she second guessed herself. _But, if it means she can help here_.

But even with Noras help, it was still just six of them against what would soon become a hoard of Grimm and it wasn’t just the boy at risk here.   
“What do we do?”

”Each of Pick a single pack at a time, quickly dispatch them before they all join together. If they become a hoard and storm the hospital...”

”Its already a little late for that.”

”Sir, what are you doing?” For the General had just started to take off his over coat.

“The last time I saw Oscar, I almost killed him.” Without looking at the gathering hoard. “Well this is a chance for me to make that right.” As he removed a layer, they started to see the metal skin underneath. They all knew the Grimm would be attracted to him because of the tiny bit of magic that kept his metal body functioning. Suddenly realising, Elm remembered he’d once told them it also had a self-distrust option.   
“I had hoped” he called back to them “that maybe I would be able to about it with him in person” he was walking further and further away, trying to get as far from the hospital as possible and make sure the Grimm did the same. “But if you would” he pressed a bitten on his mechanical shoulder “when he wakes. Tell him. Tell him what I did. Tell him...I tried...” then the hoard of Grimm was on him and he was blocked from there view. 

They all rushed back into the hospital. The explosion that followed a few seconds later was enough to rock the entrance but the doors and walls were left undamaged. Outside, however, everything had been reduced to smouldering ruins...


	5. Awake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s now or never

Jaune stared at them through the hard light barrier, trying to proses what was being said. Ironwood was dead, sacrificing himself to stop a Grimm hoard from getting to Oscar but more than that, he’d said he’d almost killed Oscar once.  
And the Grimm that had come...when they’d said it was a new kind and showed them a picture to see if they recognised it, they’d said “Yeah. That’s the Grimm that first took Oscar.”

 _And now she has an army of them._ On top off all that, the sight of Salam resurrected was almost nothing. They already knew she was immortal. That she would come back at some point and the bomb had gone off over a two days ago.   
“And Oscar?” He asked, when the explaining was done.

”No change.”

He groaned and sat back down. He should’ve woken up by now. The start of the second day they’d been here had been when the Grimm came. Towards the end of it was when Winter made her broadcast, and now it is was the third and still nothing had changed.

”But there’s also one more thing.” Another figure was brought into the area. Jaunes face fell “Nora!” What happened to you?

”Miss Valkyrie here was caught barging into the high security ward but by the time we caught up to her, she was already by the boys bedside.”

Juane stared at her.

“I had to see him.” She said, with no regrets.

Jaune looked at Ren. He was staring at Nora like he was seeing her clearly for the first time ever.   
They put her in the cell right next to him, Ren never once taking his eyes of her and the moment they were gone, the both rushed to the barrier separating them...

He was dreaming an old dream. One he hadn’t dreamt in a long time. It was in the middle of the forest and he was six years old again, hearing a slight rustling and flapping from a near by thorn bush. Moving closer out of curiosity, he peered through the branches. There was something trapped inside, he knew. When he reached in with both hands and slightly pulled the branches apart, something black and full of feathers darted past him. He let out a small cry of surprise and fell backwards but when he looked up, he saw it had only been a black bird, now sitting and chirping happily on a branch above him. He looked at the bird and laughed, sitting up and hugging his knees.

In real life, that had been all Oscar had remembered, until his aunt and uncle found him there with a scar on his shoulder. They all assumed he’d just got it from the thorns in the bush when he’d reached. Oscar had believed that too. But in the dream it went on.   
after watching the black bird, he then saw a faint glow coming from further in the forest. Looking round to see what it was, he saw a small ball of light. Green and gold it was. His naive six-year-old mind ached to reach out and touch it...and when he did, the light zapped itself through his fingers. He jumped and gasped, feeling it go through his hand, his arm, up to his shoulder. _That mark wasn’t just a scar_ he realised. It had hurt, and he’d screamed...

He woke up. Eyes opening wide he sat bolt upright, shaking and breathing heavily.

”Easy...Easy.” A woman’s voice was saying. Someone placed a cover over his bare shoulders. He tried opening and closing his eyes tight several times to try and clear his vision. Felt his fingers shaking as he clutched at the blanket over his shoulders and the one who’d put it there. Everything looked blurry. He didn’t even notice the think stuck in the palm of his hand.

”Look at me.” The woman said, lifting his chin, reminding him horribly of when Salam had lifted it. “You know me, boy?”  
He did know her. For a moment he thought it was Weise. Pale, skin, blue eyes, white hair. But as his vision cleared and he was able to look more clearly he saw that her hair was shorter, not the long braid he gotten so used but tied in a ponytail and she looked somewhat older.

”Winter.”

He lay back down with a sigh of relief. “What happened?” Hearing the sound of his own pain stricken and strained voice and his mouth was so dry it almost hurt to talk...was this the first time he’d spoken since...

”What’s the last thing you remember?”

He strained his memory, trying to think. “Ren.” He remembered his pink eyes and relived smile. “He found me.”

”And he got you out of there safe.” She said, sitting next to him. “You here me? You’re _out_ and your _safe_.”   
_I’m free_. But that wasn’t the only thing on his mind. “Where are they now?” Why weren’t they here with him?

”They were taken away to a jail cell. You are still technically fugitives y’know.”   
“I want to see them.” He tried to sit back up but Winter pushed him down. “At some point, perhaps. But not right now.”

Reluctantly, Oscar sank back into the pillows and sighed again. That was when he noticed what was in his hand. Seeing the black thread dangle, he raised it, opened his fingers and saw the silver cross inside.

”Qrow left that for you.” Winter explained. “Before going off on a scorpion hunt.”

 _scorpion hunt?_ It was a moment before Oscar realised what she meant. He rolled his eyes and grinned. “Oh.”

Reaching over to put the cross on the bedside table for now, he saw a water bottle siting there and automatically reached for that too. Winter helped him with it, gently raising his head so that none of it would spill.  
“Oscar,” She said, after placing the water bottle back down. “What did Salam want with you?”

He opened his eyes. “Answers.”

”Did you give her any?”

He smiled a little at his own cunning. “Not, exactly.”

She leaned in closer. “Oscar, listen to me because this is really important. Does she know were the Beacon relic is?”

He thought about this for a moment. “No, I...I don’t think so.”

”You don’t _think_ so.”  
She wanted more than that. She wanted certainty that Oscar couldn’t give her. 

“Did you tell her?”  
He shook his head

”Ok. And what about the lamp, did you tell her how that works.”

That was were he hesitated. “I...told Hazel.”

Winter sighed, closing her eyes and turning away. “Oscar...”

”But I-I thought he would use it for himself...and then they’d be no more questions left.” He tried to explain.

”Did he?” She asked, but Oscar was looking away.

”Oscar...did...”

”I don’t know.” He admitted. “I _think_ so.”

There it was again. _Think_ not _know_.   
_  
“Now you’ve ensured that the only way I can find the beacon relic, is through you.”  
Why would she have said that if she could still use the lamp._

”You took a big risk.” Winter said, bringing him back to the present and the safety of this bed.   
“I know...but if it pays off it’ll be worth it.”

”And if it doesn’t...She might finally get the beacon relic.”

He looked away fully now, not wanting her to see his tears. “I didn’t know what else to try.” His voice started to break.

Winter slowly placed two fingers on the side of his cheek that was looking away and gently turned it to face her. She took a good look at him for a few seconds and Oscar knew she was looking over all his cuts and bruises.

She sighed. “They were hurting you.” She said, moving her hand away. “You were just trying to find ways to make it stop.” She nodded. “I can understand that.”

But Oscar still wasn’t sure. “James won’t.”

And the moment he’d said his name, a look of sadness came into Winters eyes and she turned away with a look of pity.

”What is it?” Oscar asked, noticing this.

She lowered her head. “About two days after you were brought here, Salam sent a Grimm hoard to try and capture you again...”

”Two days? How long have I been out?”

”This was yesterday, so three...anyway, um.” She continued. “The General was outside the hospital when it happened. I think he knew, there was really only one way of masking sure they didn’t...we didn’t have a bomb but he had his metal.”

_please tell me she’s not saying what I think she’s saying._

”Did you know it had a self destruct..? That was the only thing that could’ve taken them all out in time.”

 _He, died...for me?_ “Th-that doesn’t make sense” Oscar raised a hand to his head and shook it. “It doesn’t make sense...the last time I saw him...”

”We know. He said so. Right before walking into the Grimm hoard. He said he wanted to make it right.”

Oscar was trying hard not to let the tears fall from his eyes. “So it’s _my_ fault.”

”No.” Winter shook her head. “No, he made a choice, to do whatever he did to you that day. And later when he realised it was wrong, he made a choice to make it right.”

Oscar thought about this a moment. “But...I made the choice to go a talk to him that day. I made it possible for him to...do what he did.”

Winter just sighed. “The two of you, always taking the blame.”

 _The two of us?_ Did she mean him and Ironwood, or him and Oz?

“There is one more thing.” After Ironwood died, I...I felt it only right that the people should know exactly why. And now the tower is up, the whole world heard what I said...about you.”

_’so now they know about us’_

”Good.” He was telling that to Oz as well as Winter. “I’m done hiding.”

She smiled. “I didn’t tell them everything tough. Just that you were the _future_.”

the _future_. There it was, that name Oz had told him about. The _future_ had been a code name given to the next wizards vessel fir centuries but only to those who knew about his reincarnation. Anyone else would be oblivious to what it really meant.

“And that you would one day be the one to save the world.”

He chuckled at the thought, then flinched at the pain in his chest. Laughing hurt.

”You should rest some. I’ll leave you to your thoughts.” She stood up and was almost at the door when she stopped and turned back to him. “I’ll let the others know your awake and, maybe arrange a visit.”

That brought a little bit of a smile back to him, “Thank you.”

He shifted under the duvet and turned to the window. Behind the curtain, he could see the glow of a rising sun. Slowly he moved his hand up to the curtain and draw it slightly back. The sun hit his eyes, strong and bright, the first time he’d seen it since he was taken. He smiled, closed his eyes and felt a tear fall down his check. _It was good to be free again._  
  


Jaune was getting restless, pacing up and down the cell. Ren and Nora stood close to each other, there hands on the barrier, talking in urgent whispers. Yang was lounging back on the cell bench like it was a sofa.

”He should’ve woken up by now.” Jaune said, what he could hold it in no longer.

Yang opened her eyes. “He was in there a while. My guess is they didn’t let him sleep, and god knows when the last time he had anything to eat or drink was.” She looked over at Jaune. “He’s probably just tired.”

Still, he didn’t like it.

Just then, Here came in. She took a good look at each of them in turn the took a deep breath. “Oscars awake.”

Jaune breathed a sigh of relief, Yang sat bolt upright and even Ren and Nora stoped there conversing to listen closer.

”He’s alright?” Nora asked

”He’s a little shook. But, Winter thinks he’ll make it. He wants to see you.”

”Can we?” Jaune asked.   
Here glared at him. “One at a time.” She said, holding up a finger. “Don’t want to overwhelm him.”

They all looked at each other.

”I mean, he’s _your_ teammate.” Yang says the them, so Jaune looked to Nora.   
“I saw him yesterday.”

Then Ren, who looked at him. “Go ahead. I saw him enough while inside the beast.”

So Jaune sighed and was let out of the cell. It wasn’t a long trip from the police station to the hospital. They kept the cuffs on him till they reached the high security ward. When he entered the room, he saw winter setting a tray with two slices of toast and a mug of coco on his bed side table, and Oscar still laying in the bed. His head was turned towards the window, his hand up to the curtain.   
“You said he was awake.” Jaune said to Winter, seeing his closed eyes.

”He was...for about half-an-hour.”

Jaune moved around the foot of the bed to the other side. There was a small space between the bed and the window, just enough for one person to stand.

”He’s strong.” Winter carried on. “But it’s still gonna take him some time.”

He shook his head. “Nah...he’s just stubborn.”

He reached out and touched the side of his face. This one small touch seemed to rouse him. He stirred, opened his eyes slightly then saw Jaune and closed them again, smiling. “Hi.” He breathed.

”You doing ok?” Jaune asked.

Oscars head shifted, as if he was trying to incline it. “‘M here I guess...the others?”

Jaune smiled. “They’re a little salty about being locked in a prison cell but, none of us were hurt.”

”I guess that’s not so bad.” He tried to sit up but flinched as he did so. Winter reached over to help, lifting his back and moving the pillow up so he was more comfortable sitting up. That was when Jaune saw the burn on his chest, when it moved up past the dovet, and glimpsed the bandages below them.

Oscar must’ve noticed him staring. “It’s not as bad as it was.” He tried to assure him, but Jaune shook his head.

”This is my fault.” He said. “We never should’ve split up.”

”Don’t be silly.” Oscar told him. “We couldn’t agree on one thing. They were right about getting amity up. Splitting up was the best option. And besides...I’m here now...and I’m gonna be ok.” He was smiling but there were tears in his eyes. Jaune put a hand on his shoulder and Oscar wrapped his arms around Jaunes chest.

”Its good to have you back, little buddy.”


	6. Memories of torture

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some traumas never leave you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This does get a bit graphic, and particularly if you don’t wanna here about our boy in pain, you probably don’t wanna read this.

The nights were still restless in the hospital. At times he would find himself dreaming of when he was still in that thing.

Hazel had only said one phrase before leaving him alone in the cell. “You really think I would go against my queen like that.”

He was still tied to the Grimm hook, legs dangling far from the ground.

 _”You queen.”_ Oscar was almost mocking him. “I don’t think so. Have you ever even called her that before?”

But Hazel just turned away.   
“Where are you going?” _Don’t leave me here like this._

But leave him he did. That was when he started to struggle, pulling against the ropes. Oz had told him it was hopeless but he just couldn’t help it. Oscar hated being bound. It reminded him of his uncle...what he used to do to him.

Getting out of these would’ve been hard enough if he’d had two feet on the floor and was at least able to move his hands to where he could see them better. With them high above him and no support below him, it was as good as impossible. All he could do was twist in them, trying to pull against them. He pulled and tugged as hard as he could for as long as he could but it was no use. The bonds just wouldn’t loosen.   
When all his efforts were spent, he was forced to just hang there, arms aching, completely exhausted.

It didn’t feel like long after that Hazel return. He didn’t say a word. Just let him down from the hook, still with his hands tied, and dragged him in front of him out of the cell.

”Where are we, going?” He tried to ask.

Hazel didn’t answer. He just held the boy hard in front of him, forcing him forward down the now somewhat familiar path to the bridge. All the while, Oscar still fought against the bonds. Maybe now that he could hold them in front of him, he could have a better chance of freeing them.

Weather he would’ve been able to or not, he didn’t have time to find out. A sharp kick in the back once they were there and he fell forwards with a grunt. Trying to get up, he then felt someone forcing him into a kneeling position. Long dark cords erupted from the floor, coiling them selves tight around him, holding him there though he tried to fight against them.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Said a voice he knew all too well. “You’ll only make them tighter.”

He looked up slowly to see Salam walking towards him.

”Your a sneaky little one, aren’t you.” She stoped right in front of him and lifted his chin with a single finger. “Twice as honest and twice as cunning. Finding ways to make the truth work for you.”

Was she talking about his plan with the lamp? Had Hazel told her about that? Oscar didn’t even know what to say. And besides, he was to scared to talk right then.

”But perhaps your not as smart as you think.” She let go. “Because now you‘ve ensured the only way I can get to the beacon relic, is through you.”  
The bonds that bound him got suddenly hotter, burning against his skin. He threw back his head, crying out in pain, automatically struggling but Salam’s warning held true. They only got tighter.

“And _that_ , wasn’t very smart now was it.”

Even after the burning stoped, he needed a few seconds to get enough breath back to talk. “I-I already told you...” he looked at her and shook his head. “I don’t know where that is.”

“Yet.” She leaned in closer as she started to circle him. “And it’s not like it’s just you. And now that I know He is with you...”

He closed his eyes. _We should never have let her know you were here. ‘Oscar...’ No._ He knew what Oz was going to suggest, but he couldn’t risk it.

Salam was in front of him again now. “You could save you both a lot of pain, if you just gave in. What would you think of that.”

”I think...” Oscar said, trying braver than he felt. “I would rather die than help you.”

But this had the opposite effect he was hoping for. To quick to even see her move, she reached out and grabbed his face with both hands. “Death is the easy option, boy.” Her voice still didn’t rise. “It’s going on that’s the hard part.”

something started emanating from her fingers into him, like it was crawling in under his skin. “ _That_ was what I learned when I first lost my Ozma.” 

An unbearable pain started going through his body; starting at the face where she’d touched then spreading, down his neck, his shoulders, his arms. Before long it spread all through him. Blinded by the pain, he felt as though every vain in his body was as on fire. Every muscle, every bone, feeling like they might explode. Though he could no longer here, he could tell from the feel of his throat going raw that he was screaming. The more it hurt, the harder he struggled and the harder he struggled, the tighter the bonds became. Tighter and tighter and tighter until he could hardly breath. Oz had tried to take control but the pain was so great that neither of them could endure it for long. In the end they just kept having to swap, one of them taking control and enduring it for as long they could before having to let the other take over. How long had it gone on for? Neither of them was really sure. It could’ve been a matter of minutes, or it could’ve lasted hours. The pain inside him, threatening to burst out; the bonds around him, digging deep in...they were tearing him apart, from both the inside and the out...

It had stopped much quicker than it started. The bonds fell away and he collapsed to the floor, twitching and trembling. Slowly, the feeling started coming back to him. He started to here the sound of his own gasps as he tried to breath again and, as if it were off in the distance, Salam saying something he couldn’t quite make out. Then Hazels arms were under his, lifting him from behind. His hands were still tied but he did try fight. Not because he didn’t want too but because he couldn’t. Even when he was thrown back into the cell, all his strength and energy was gone. He felt like half a corpse. Could you still feel pain if you were already dead?

He woke up, much like he had done the first time. Breathing heavily, sitting bolt up right, covered in a thin layer of cold sweet. He looked around. The ward was dark and empty. Alone in the silence, he found himself thinking the same thing he’d thought after it had happened. _How had that not killed me?_  
“Winter?”

it was a moment before she should up at the door. “Are you alright?”

He leaned forward and rubbed his head. “Bad dream...what time is it? Late?”

”Early. Around 5 in the morning. You should try to get some sleep while you still can.”

”I don’t want to sleep anymore.” He reached over and turned on the lamp light on his bedside table.

Winter sighed. Realising he was serious about not going back to sleep, she went to the foot of the bed to turn the fire on. “They’re right about you. You are incredibly stubborn.”

Oscar couldn’t help but smile. People had been saying that about him since he was little.   
“You know,” Winter came and sat beside him. “Some times talking about past traumas, can help you get over them.”

He shook his head. “I don’t think I could...could repeat it.” He shivered at the thought. “Do you talk about your past traumas?”

She looked him. She didn’t ask how he know she’d been through trauma. “Some of them.” She said, nodding slightly. “But, only the important ones. The that have made me who I am today.”

He paused a moment. “Can you share one now?”

She stared at him.

“If it really help’s.”

She seemed to be considering. “There is one story that I think has shaped me the most...but I wouldn’t call it a trauma.”

Oscar thought about this. “Tell me.”

She nodded slowly. “Ok.”

  
“When I was 16, my grandmother passed away. My mother’s mother. We were particularly close but, she’d been suffering from dementia for years. When ever my parents brought her up, there would always be this one thought come into the back of my head. _Is she dead yet?”_ Winter stoped, looking at the boy, waiting for him to say what horrible thing that was to think. But he just looked her attentively, as if willing her to go on. “Then that one morning, I went down to breakfast. Heard them mention her, and that thought came into my head. And then turned out that she was...and I felt so guilty. I don’t think I actually ever expected it to be true. I just froze. I didn’t even finish my cereal. And that was when I realised: I couldn’t keep thinking such thoughts; I had to stop being so cold, to get away from my father’s influence; and I shouldn’t waste a single moment with those I care about. Make every second count.”

The sky was starting to lighten by this time she’d finished this story. There was a silence for a while. In between the light from the lamp and the faint light coming from behind the curtain, she could see Oscar smiling. “Everyone has to learn that lesson at some point. It can be hard. I can hurt.”

”Some people never learn that lesson, or learn the wrong one. Those people turn out like my father.” _And your uncle_ but she didn’t say anything else. He still didn’t know Whitley had told them about that. But from the way he looked then, he was thinking about it.

She stood up and reached to turn the lamp light off. “Well, if your not going to sleep.” She opened the curtains. “We might as well get some breakfast.”

He nodded. “K”

She left the room, hoping he’d be alright on his own for a few minutes.”


	7. Progress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One step at a time

Once Winter had left the room, Oscar leaned forward with his knees up. He saw the atlas pyjamas Winter had tossed to him the other night laying on the end of his bed.

”You can put those on if you get too cold.” She’d said, after he’d caught them.   
He reached out and took up the top. He knew he was as good as naked under the dovet, save for the bandages.   
He winced and gritted his teeth as he pulled the top over his chest. Getting the trousers on was slightly more difficult, since he tried to keep his legs under the dovet as he pulled them on.

He wasn’t particularly worried until he removed to dovet completely and saw how frail and skinny his legs looked. _When was the last time I walked properly on these_? Trying not to think about that, he pushed himself to the end of the bed with his arms until his legs were over the edge. Somewhat cautiously, he placed his bare feet flat on the floor, wriggling his toes, getting used to the feel of a solid ground beneath his feet. He took a deep breath on and blow it out slowly. One more little push and he’d be off the bed.

Taking one more deep breath, he pushed...and feeling something twinge in his back, he collapsed on his knees with a small cry of pain. He scoffed at himself. _What were you expecting_. Really, he just wanted to get closer to fire.   
Oscar was used to wearing gloves most his life, so now the absence of them made his fingers feel slightly numb. He just figured, maybe if he was able to hold them close to the heat of the flames, he’d be able to get some of that familiar feeling back in them.

People had seen her outside the ward, she knew. That would mean before long, they would realise it meant the boy was awake. They would ask there questions soon.

Opening the door with a tray of cereal and milk, she felt a momentary stab of panic when she saw the bed was empty and the covers thresh off, but then she saw him sat at the foot of the bed by there fire. He looked at her as she entered. She saw he’d put in the pyjamas she’d given him. “Don’t scare me like that!” She shot at him, setting the tray on bed and moving to the radiator.

“Sorry if I worried you.”

After getting the fire dust sorted, the radiator started heating up.   
“How did you even get down there?” From what she could gather, the boy still couldn’t walk. His spine was still damaged.   
“Carefully.” He answered.

Thinking is was best if he stayed there now that he was there, she took the tray towards the fireplace and gave it to him. “If you were cold, you could’ve just said. I would have put the radiator on before I left.”

He shook his head. “It wasn’t just that. I kinda, wanted to see how for I could get.”

She sighed as he started to eat. You shouldn’t push yourself, Oscar. Your still wounded. It’s going to take a while.”

He shrugged. “I just wanted to see.”

She decided to indulge him and asked “and?”

”Aaand, I can’t walk.” He was trying to smile as if wanting to make a joke out of it but his voice was braking. “I mean I-I can still move them,” he stretched one his legs slightly “but they can’t support me. I can’t stand on them.”

She smiled at him sympathetically. “You’ll get there. It’s just a little at a time.”

Winter couldn’t deny she’d grown to feel a sense of responsibility for this boy. It was a feeling she hadn’t had since...since Weiss had left for beacon.   
Since her broadcast, people all over the world had been asking about this boy and some were even able to give answers. They all seemed to agree on the kind boy he was. A huntsman from the Argus limited who said they’d interacted during a Grimm attack when he still seemed just a scrawny form boy. Team FNKY who’s admitted they’d trained with him a few times.

“A good kid.” They’d said. “Smart and brave. Surprisingly skilled for a guy his age. Could’ve become a great huntsman one day.”

“Maybe he still will.”

And flyby had smiled, “Aye, maybe he will.”

They’re had also been a woman who’d been seen crying during the broadcast who’d been able to give a detailed account of some of the boys childhood.   
“Oscars always been stubborn.” She’d explained. “Kind and, considerate...but stubborn.” She gave a dry laugh. “One of his defining traits.”

“Did he have any others?”

She nodded, close to tears again. “He was good. From the moment he could talk he was, so sweet. I don’t know where he came from. He was to precious for this world. There was never any anger in him. No resentment. Just good.” _That must have been his aunt_. Winter has wandered if she should tell the boy about that but decided it better to wait. She would show him that account when he was more prepared. They’d each been asked if they knew what was meant by ‘the future’ but none of them had any idea.

”Is something wrong?”

She hadn’t noticed she’d been staring. “I was seen outside the ward.” She said simply. “That means people know your awake.”

He looked confused. “Isn’t that a good thing? It means they know I’m ok.”

“Well, if you wanna think of it like that but people ask questions.”

”Let ‘em ask, give them answers. I told you I wasn’t hiding anymore.”

She held back a laugh. _Yet you’re still hiding_ that _part of you past._  
when he was done, he made to get back on the bed. Winter moved to help but he pushed her away. “I got it.”

Leaning back against the bed, his arms placed on top, he tried to push himself up with both elbows. The first time failing and falling back down, the second time only succeeding to flop backwards on the bed but he only laughed about it after. “That did go quite to plan.”

This time Winter couldn’t help but laugh. _Baby steps, little hero._


End file.
